Free US Passport Photo Maker (2×2 in)

United States Passport photo requirements at a glance

How to make your United States passport photo at home

1. Take the photo. Stand about 1.2 m (4 ft) from a plain wall, facing a window or another soft, even light. Ask someone else to take it at eye level with the phone's main (rear) camera — selfies taken at arm's length distort the face. Keep your shoulders in the frame and leave space above your head.
2. Upload it above. Choose 🇺🇸 United States – Passport. The tool finds your face and eyes, straightens a tilted head, and crops to 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm) with your head at 25–35 mm.
3. Check the background. The background is replaced with white or off-white, no patterns or shadows. Look closely at the edges of your hair; if anything looks cut out, use a photo taken against a plainer wall.
4. Read the warnings. We flag closed eyes, a turned head, uneven lighting, possible glasses and low resolution. Fix anything flagged by retaking the photo — editing a face is not allowed.
5. Download. Use the digital file for online applications (we automatically keep it under 240 KB), or the 4×6 in print sheet for a printed photo. Print the sheet at a pharmacy or photo kiosk at 100% scale with no borders, then cut along the guides.

Common reasons United States passport photos get rejected

• Head too small or too large in the frame — the head must measure 25–35 mm from chin to the top of the head.
• Shadows on the face or behind the head, usually from a single overhead light or a camera flash.
• Glare on glasses, or glasses where they aren't allowed (not allowed (unless medically necessary, with a signed doctor's note)).
• Hair covering the eyes or the edges of the face, and hats or head coverings worn for non-religious, non-medical reasons.
• Filters, beauty modes or "portrait" blur applied by the phone. Turn these off before taking the photo.
• Photos older than six months, or ones that no longer look like you.

Things to know before you apply

• Photo must be taken within the last 6 months.
• No filters, no selfies taken at arm's length if the face looks distorted.
• Printed photos must be on matte or glossy photo-quality paper.

Disclaimer: photo rules change and individual officers make the final decision. This tool follows the published size rules but cannot guarantee your photo will be accepted. Always check the official United States requirements before you submit.